Table for sewing and assembling roller shades



D. W. KLAU TABLE FOR SEWING AND ASSEMBLING ROLLER SHADES June 1 1926 7 1 ed Dec. 5, 1925 A TTORNEY Patented June 1, 1926.

UNITED STATES DAVID W. KLAU, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TABLE FOR SEWING AND ASSEMBLING ROLLER SHADES.

Application filed December 5, 1925. Serial No. 73,312.

The invention comprises a method and means for sewing and assembling roller shades much more rapidly, in much less factory space, with less-skilled labor, and with the production of better shades than heretofore. The invention also obviates confusion between diiferent orders or batches of shades going through the factory.

in ordinary practice, the strips or sheets of shade material, cut to the required size and having their side hems turned over, come rolled up to a sewing-machine operator who gradually unrolls each strip, passing it through the machine to sew one side hem, simultaneously rolling it up at the back of the machine. This is ditlicult work, calling for expensive training. After one hem has been sewed, this operator must repeat the operation for the other side hem, unrolling and re-rolling the material as before. Having sewed the two side hems, she partly unrolls the roll and sews the bottom hem or pocket. The rolls which have been sewed in this manner are carried to another place, each roll is partly unrolled to measure it for its stick, for the insertion of the stick, and for the application of the eyelet for the shade cord. The rolls are then carried .to a tacking table, where each roll is entirely unrolled, tacked onto a roller, and then rolled up by a semi-automatic device. Not only is much time consumed in these operations which is saved by the present invention, but through so much handling the shade material is likely to become soiled and crumpled. Furthermore, the operations are not always performed accurately.

According to the present invention, the two side hems are sewed simultaneously, and the shade strip as it emerges from this operation is not rolled up but is caused to lie fiat on a table. The sheet, lying flat, is shifted across the table and passed through a single sewing machine to sew the bottom hem. The sheet, with all its hems sewed, is then shifted to an adjoining part of the table, where the stick is out and inserted and the eyelet is applied; and next it is shifted across to the opposite side of the table, where it is tacked to its roller and rolled up. Finally, at an adjoining part of the table the rolled shade is wrapped in paper. It is highly important that the shade be kept flat, as this causes the operations to be performed in a better manner, and avoids extra labor and the injury due to a large amount of handling. When the invention is carried out as herein described, the shade sheets remain flat throughout all the operations, and between them, from the first unrolling to the final rolling up of the completed shade. It follows from this method that all the work is performed in a concentrated space about a work table area over which the sheets pass in circuit from one machine or operator to another. With such a method and table maximum efficiency is obtained, the labor, particularly for the hemming, need not be so highly skilled, and each batch or order is kept together.

In the accompanying drawings, the figure is a perspective view illustrating somewhat schematically the invention.

The numeral 2 indicates a large table, which may be made in sections if desired.

On a portion of the table, which may be termed the front, adjacent one end, are two opposed sewing-machines 3, 3 organized and correlated and driven in a suitable manner from a single source of power, so as to operate in unison, both feeding away from an operator who sits in front of this part of the table. The two machines are mounted on the table so as to be relatively adjustable by a hand-wheel 4 toward and from each other in order that they may be set to operate upon sheets a of shade material of different widths.

This operator strip sheets, having its side hems already folded, in a holder 5 projecting from the edge of the table in front of the duplex hemming machine. The sheet is fed through these instrumentalities, having both its side hems sewed simultaneously, and when the operation is finished lies flat upon the table, which is wide enough to accommodate its full length. At the POPPOSltG part, or back, of the table, or on an annex thereof, somewhat offset with respect to the duplex machine 3, 3, is a single sewing-machine 6. The operator at this station takes the shade strip, shifting it spread out as it lies after coming from the double hemmer, folds over the end hem or pocket, the creases of which are already formed, and sews this pocket. This operator with this machine also completes any gap that may exist in the stitch ing of either of the side hems.

From this station the sheet is moved along the table to the next station where there is an eyelet-applying machine 7. This 1naplaces one of the rolled up chine is of a standard kind and does not require special description. The operator at this station is provided with a supply of sticks, one of which he rnea-sures exactly for the shade before him, cuts it to the length inserts it in the pocket, and then applies the central eyelet through the stick and pocket by means of the machine 7.

The shade strip is now lying across the table with its upper e-:l.e;e that is to say the edge remote from the stick and pocket, adjacent a tacking: and winding machine 8 also of standard design. in operator with machine tacks the shade to a roller, than with a handl 9 raises the trough 11 holding: the roller, also raising a chuck 12 and its pulley 13 nxoral is with the trough. so as to tighten a constantly running; driiing belt 1 t to rotate tl e chuck. The end 01" the roller heinp; in ens'agenaent with the chuck,

and the edge othe shade heing guided against a gauge 15, the shade is rolled up, in a. known 1112111161.

The completed and rolled shade is then passed to an operator seated or standing in front of a portion 16 of the table between the tacking station and the double-heinn'iing station, who wraps the shade in paper, ready for shipment.

Throughout the progress of the shade from the double-hennning operation to the time when it rolled up after having been tacked on its roller; it remains flat upon the expanse of table-top. By the method and means which hare hecn described very great savings are eli'ected, the output of a tactory can be multiplied with "less expense aside from material then under present methods), and the output is not only so much larger but should he of a better quality.

Behind the douhledienuning machine a beveled ridge 1'! is placed. This enables two or more side-hemmed shade strips to he collected on top of each other without interference. E in'iilarly, a ridge 18 just beyond the sewing-ma hine 6 pern'iits a shade feedingfrom this machine to ride over one or more others alrez dy lying on the table in readiness for the operator who inserts the sticks andeyelets.

What is claimed as new is:

The combination of a table adapted to support a roller-shade strip spread out in flat condition thereon, a sewing machine, and a beveled ridge behind said sewing machine adapted to cause a shade strip passing from the machine to pass over a preceding strip or strips lying on the table.

DAVID W. Kinkll. 

